AN EPIDEMIC OF DISEASE--JOSEPH HEALS THE MULTITUDE--BRIGHAM AND HEBER
START ON THEIR MISSION TO ENGLAND--SICKNESS BY THE WAY--HEBER
POISONED--HIS LIFE SAVED BY BRIGHAM.
Twelve months had elapsed since the word of the Lord came for the
Apostles to depart and "go over the great waters" to promulgate the
Gospel. They had fulfilled the revelation in so far as to take leave
of the Saints in Far West, at the time and place appointed, but the
toils and trials incident to settling their new home had unavoidably
delayed their departure from America.
One of these trials was an epidemic which swept over Nauvoo and the
neighboring towns, prostrating many of the inhabitants with sickness;
partly due, no doubt, to the moist, malarial nature of the soil in and
around the lower portions of the new settlement, but greatly enhanced
by the physical weakness of the Saints, resulting from their recent
privations and sufferings in Missouri. So general and widespread was
the sickness that scarcely a family in Nauvoo or the vicinity entirely
escaped the scourge.
[Illustration: Joseph Smith]
[Illustration: Hyrum Smith]
But this unhappy condition of affairs--rendered doubly disheartening
from following so closely upon the Missouri troubles--was not without
its recompense. It was the occasion of a marvelous and miraculous
display of divine power in behalf of the Lord's afflicted people.
Heber thus describes the event:
"July 22nd, the Prophet Joseph arose from his bed of sickness, when
the power of God rested upon him, and he went forth administering to
the sick. He commenced with the sick in his own house, then visited
those who were camping in tents in his own dooryard, commanding the
sick in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to arise from their beds and
be whole; when they were healed according to his words. He then went
from house to house, and from tent to tent, upon the bank of the
river, healing the sick by the power of Israel's God, as he went among
them. He did not miss a single house, wagon or tent, and continued
this work up to 'the upper stone house,' where he crossed the river in
a boat, accompanied by Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, John E. Page,
John Taylor and myself, and landed at Montrose. He then walked into
the cabin of Brother Brigham Young, who was lying very sick, and
commanded him in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to arise and be
made whole. He arose, healed of his sickness, and then accompanied
Joseph and his brethren of the Twelve, and went into the house of
Brother Elijah Fordham, who was insensible, and considered by his
family and friends to be in the hands of death. Joseph stepped to his
bedside, looked him in the eye for a minute without speaking, then
took him by the hand and commanded him in the name of Jesus Christ to
arise from his bed and walk. Brother Fordham immediately leaped out of
his bed, threw off all his poultices and bandages, dressed himself,
called for a bowl of bread and milk, which he ate, and then followed
us into the street. We then went into the house of Joseph B. Noble,
who was also very sick, and he was healed in the same manner.
"Joseph spoke with the voice and power of God.
"When he had healed all the sick by the power given unto him he went
down to the ferry boat, when a stranger rode up almost breathless, and
said that he had heard that Joseph Smith was raising the dead, and
healing all of the sick, and his wife begged him to ride up and get
Mr. Smith to go down and heal her twin children, about three months
old. Joseph replied, 'I cannot go, but will send some one.' In a few
minutes he said to Elder Woodruff, 'You go and heal those children,
and take this pocket handkerchief, and when you administer to them,
wipe their faces with it, and they shall recover.' Brother Woodruff
did as he was commanded, and the children were healed.
"The mob spirits, when they saw men whom they thought were dying,
arise from their beds, and pray for others, stood paralyzed with fear;
yet those same men would have killed Joseph and his brethren if they
had had an opportunity. Joseph recrossed the river to his own home and
I returned to mine, rejoicing in the mercies and goodness of God. This
was a day never to be forgotten by the Saints; nor by the wicked; for
they saw the power of God manifest in the flesh."
"August 4th, being Sunday, the Saints met to partake of the sacrament,
and received an exhortation from the Prophet Joseph, impressing upon
them the necessity of being righteous and clean of heart before the
Lord. He also commanded the Twelve to go forth without purse or scrip,
according to the revelations of Jesus Christ.
"During the night of August 23rd, my son, David Patten, was born in
Commerce, in the log cabin I had put up at the end of the Bozier
house. We had a heavy thunderstorm that night, but the hand of the
Lord was over us. As soon as my wife was able I moved my family into
the new log house that I had built."
September came, and the Apostles prepared to take leave of their
families and friends and depart on their mission to Europe. Again the
evil one laid his plans to circumvent them. As he once afflicted
righteous Job, striving to overthrow his trust in God, he now sought
by similar means to undermine the faith and integrity of these
latter-day servants of the Lord. But his efforts were unavailing; he
had the same class of spirits to contend with as in days of old; men
who could say with the patient man of Uz, though bowed in sorrow and
humiliation: "I know that my Redeemer liveth," and "though He slay me,
yet will I trust in Him."
"September 14th," says Heber, "President Brigham Young left his home
at Montrose to start on the mission to England. He was so sick that he
was unable to go to the Mississippi, a distance of thirty rods,
without assistance. After he had crossed the river he rode behind
Israel Barlow on his horse to my house, where he continued sick until
the 18th. He left his wife sick with a babe only three weeks old, and
all his other children were sick and unable to wait upon each other.
Not one soul of them was able to go to the well for a pail of water,
and they were without a second suit to their backs, for the mob in
Missouri had taken nearly all he had. On the 17th Sister Mary Ann
Young got a boy to carry her up in his wagon to my house, that she
might nurse and comfort Brother Brigham to the hour of starting.
"September 18th, Charles Hubbard sent his boy with a wagon and span of
horses to my house; our trunks were put into the wagon by some
brethren; I went to my bed and shook hands with my wife who was then
shaking with a chill, having two children lying sick by her side; I
embraced her and my children, and bade them farewell. My only well
child was little Heber P., and it was with difficulty he could carry a
couple of quarts of water at a time, to assist in quenching their
thirst.
"It was with difficulty we got into the wagon, and started down the
hill about ten rods; it appeared to me as though my very inmost parts
would melt within me at leaving my family in such a condition, as it
were almost in the arms of death. I felt as though I could not endure
it. I asked the teamster to stop, and said to Brother Brigham, 'This
is pretty tough, isn't it; let's rise up and give them a cheer.' We
arose, and swinging our hats three times over our heads, shouted:
'Hurrah, hurrah for Israel.' Vilate, hearing the noise, arose from her
bed and came to the door. She had a smile on her face. Vilate and Mary
Ann Young cried out to us: 'Good bye, God bless you.' We returned the
compliment, and then told the driver to go ahead. After this I felt a
spirit of joy and gratitude, having had the satisfaction of seeing my
wife standing upon her feet, instead of leaving her in bed, knowing
well that I should not see them again for two or three years.
"We were without purse or scrip, and were carried across the prairie,
about fourteen miles, to a shanty near the railway, where Brother O.
M. Duel lived. We were unable to carry our small trunks into the
house; Sister Duel seeing our feeble condition, assisted the boy to
carry them in.
"Sep. 19th, Brother Duel took us in his wagon to Lima, about twelve
miles. When he left us he gave each of us a dollar. Brother Bidwell
then carried us in his wagon to John A. Mickesell's, near Quincy,
about twenty miles. The fatigue of this day's journey was too much for
our feeble health; we were prostrated, and obliged to tarry a few days
in Quincy.
"Sep. 25th, we left Quincy about 11 a. m., as we felt considerably
better. My sorrow was great, to see so many of our brethren sick and
dying, in consequence of being driven, and exposed to hunger and cold.
Brother Lyman Wight took us in a one horse wagon and carried us to
Brother C. C. Rich's at Burton, where we slept through the night.
Brother Wight predicted many things, and left his blessings with us
when he bade us farewell.
"Sep. 26th, Brother Rich carried us to Brother Wilber's; while on the
road the chills came on me again, and I suffered much pain and
fatigue.
"Sep. 27th, Brother Wilber took us in a buggy about twenty-five miles
to the house of James Allred, in Pittsfield.
"Sep. 28th, Father Allred carried us to the place where Brother Harlow
Redfield lived. There we preached to a small branch of the Church, on
Sunday, 29th.
"Sep. 30th, Brother Rodgers carried Brother Brigham to Brother
Decker's, and myself to Mr. Roswell Murray's; they were living within
a few rods of each other, near Winchester in Scott County.
"Here we also found a few brethren in the Church, who had been smitten
and robbed of their property in Missouri; who were once more in
comfortable circumstances, rejoicing in the Lord.
"Oct. 1st, we were carried to Lorenzo D. Young's, a brother of Brigham
Young, where we stayed and recruited our strength until the 4th, when
he carried us to Jacksonville, where we stayed the night.
"Oct. 5th, a sister in the Church hired a horse and buggy to carry us
to Springfield, and Brother Babcock drove us there, a distance of
thirty-five miles, where we were gladly received by the brethren and
nursed. Brother Brigham was confined to his bed by sickness. Brother
Libius T. Coon, who was practicing medicine, attended upon him. Here
we found Brothers G. A. Smith, Turley, and R. Hedlock.
"I went from house to house, strengthening the brethren and teaching
them the things of the kingdom. I was so far recovered that I preached
on the Sabbath. They got a two horse wagon and harness, for which they
paid fifty-five dollars, and collected thirty-five dollars in money,
for the company.
"Judge Adams, one of the judges of the Supreme Court, took me to his
house; I stayed with him three nights and the most part of three days.
He gave me five dollars when I left. My father-in-law, Roswell Murray,
went with us on a visit to his friends in the East.
"Oct. 11th, resumed my journey in company with Brothers Young, Turley,
Smith, Hedlock and Murray. The brethren exchanged horses in
Springfield, and with the assistance we received from the brethren
living there, we succeeded in obtaining one horse and a two-horse
wagon, in which the sisters fitted up a bed for Brother Brigham to
ride on, as he was unable to sit up. We traveled eight miles with the
three-horse team, and put up at the house of Father Baker. When we
went into the house, Brother George A. Smith, while stooping down to
warm him at the fire, dropped a small flask bottle, containing tonic
bitters, out of his pocket, on the hearth, and broke it; at this
occurrence Father Baker was very much astonished, and said, 'You're a
pretty set of Apostles, to be carrying a bottle of whisky with you.'
We explained to him that the bottle contained some bitters which the
brethren at Springfield had prepared for George A. because of his
sickness; this appeased his righteous soul, so that he consented to
allow us to stay through the night.
"Oct. 12th, we pursued our journey towards Terre Haute; traveled all
day; most of the brethren being very sick I walked most of the way; at
night I slept in the wagon with my father-in-law and Brother Hedlock,
and caught cold; the next morning I had to go until twelve o'clock
before I had anything to eat, and then it was transparent pork and
corn dodger. My health again began to fail; the wagon broke down
twice, and the chills came on me about two in the afternoon, and held
me till night; then the fever held me all night. I had the chills and
fever three days, and lost my appetite. The third chill was so severe
that it seemed as though I could not live till night. We arrived at
Terre Haute about dusk on the 17th; Brother Young and I put up at Dr.
Modisett's. In the evening I became very ill. The doctor said he could
give me something that would do me good, that would relieve me of my
distress, and I would probably get a nap; but the old man was so drunk
that he did not know what he did, and he gave me a tablespoonful of
morphine; his wife saw him pour it out, but dared not say a word,
although she believed it would kill me. In a few minutes after I took
it, I straightened up in my chair, complaining of feeling very
strange, and felt as though I wanted to lie down. On my attempting to
go to the bed, I reeled and fell to the floor. There was hardly a
breath of life in my body. Brother Brigham rolled me over on my back,
put a pillow under my head, and inquired of the doctor what he had
given me, and then learned that he had given me morphine. I lay there
for a long time; when I came to, Brother Brigham was attending to me
with a fatherly care, and manifesting much anxiety in my behalf. I
told him, 'Don't be scared, for I sha'n't die.' In a short time after
he had got me on the bed, I commenced vomiting, and continued doing so
most of the night. It was through the closest attention of Brother
Young and the family that my life was preserved through the night. In
the morning Brothers Smith, Turley, Hedlock and Murray came to see us.
They laid their hands on me and prayed for me. When they left they
wept. Father Murray felt very sorrowful; said he, 'we shall never see
Heber again; he will die.' I looked up at them and said, 'Never mind,
brethren, go ahead, for Brother Brigham and I will reach Kirtland
before you will.' Brother Brigham gave them all the money we had
except five dollars, and told them to take good care of the team, and
make all possible speed to Kirtland. They started the same day. In
about an hour after they departed I arose from my bed."